EEOC Sues Renovation Flooring for Sexual Harassment and Retaliation

MIAMI – Renovation Flooring, LLC and its parent company, Payfin Enterprises, LLC, located in Miramar Beach, Florida, violated federal law when its owner and CEO sexually harassed multiple female employees and then retaliated against his executive assistant when she refused to submit to his sexual advances, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEOC) charged in a federal lawsuit announced today.

According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, the owner subjected his executive assistant and other female employees at the home renovation company to a sexually hostile work environment on a near-daily basis. The harassment included explicit comments about their bodies, requests for sex in exchange for money, and threats of termination for failing to submit to his sexual demands. The owner would try to lure the women into his vehicle and proposition them for sex, inappropriately touch or grab their bodies, ask about their sex lives, or make crude requests, the lawsuit alleged.

When his executive assistant objected to his repeated harassment, the owner retaliated by escalating his inappropriate behavior. Ultimately, the executive assistant felt compelled to resign in February 2024 when after a work event, the owner became physically aggressive, made sexually explicit and derogatory comments about women, and repeatedly solicited her for sex. The companies were aware of the owner’s harassment and had even received a resignation letter from the owner’s previous executive assistant concerning inappropriate comments made to her by the owner during her employment, the EEOC said.

“The Civil Rights Act of 1964 stands as a critical shield for female employees, safeguarding them from sexual harassment and retaliation,” said Kristen Foslid, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Miami District. “Upholding this law is essential to fostering workplaces where respect and dignity are non-negotiable rights. This lawsuit underscores EEOC’s commitment to protect victims from both harassment and the punitive actions that may follow.”

The companies’ alleged conduct violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits sexual harassment and retaliation. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. Renovation Flooring, LLC and Payfin Enterprises, LLC, Case No. 3:25-cv-01758-MCR-ZCB) in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, Pensacola Division, after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. The EEOC is seeking back pay, compensatory damages, and punitive damages for the former employee, compensatory and punitive damages for the class, and injunctive relief to prevent future discrimination.

EEOC Miami District Director Evangeline Hawthorne said, “Protecting women from sexual harassment is not optional – it’s mandated by federal law. Employers must commit to enforcing these protections to ensure that every employee can work without fear or intimidation.”

For more information on sexual harassment, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/sexual-harassment. For more information on retaliation, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/retaliation.

The Miami District Office’s jurisdiction includes Florida, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.

The EEOC is the sole federal agency authorized to investigate and litigate against businesses and other private sector employers for violations of federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. For public sector employers, the EEOC shares jurisdiction with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division; the EEOC is responsible for investigating charges against state and local government employers before referring them to DOJ for potential litigation. The EEOC also is responsible for coordinating the federal government’s employment antidiscrimination effort. More information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.